Ground Zero Day 2 Box Office Collection: Day by Day Updates, Emraan Hashmi’s Film Comparison and More

Introduction
Emraan Hashmi’s latest action thriller Ground Zero, hit theaters on April 25, 2025 with few expectations. Directed by Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment, the film tells the true story of BSF officer Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey, who led a critical counter-terrorism operation against terrorist Ghazi Baba in 2003. Featuring a stellar cast including Sai Tamhankar, Zoya Hussain and Mukesh Tiwari, Ground Zero promised a raw, realistic portrayal of courage and sacrifice. However, the film’s box office performance has been underwhelming so far, sparking discussions about its commercial prospects and Emraan Hashmi’s track record at the box office.

In this blog, we’ll provide a detailed, day-by-day breakdown of Ground Zero’s box office collections, updated as new figures come in. We’ll also compare its performance with Emraan Hashmi’s previous films, analyze the factors affecting its run and discuss its budget and potential for recovery. The blog will include a clear table for tracking Ground Zero’s India net collections.

Ground Zero Box Office Collection: Day-by-Day Updates

As of April 26, 2025 Ground Zero has completed two days at the box office. Below is the detailed breakdown of its India net collections, based on the figures you provided and cross-verified with industry sources like Sacnilk and trade reports. The table will be updated daily as new collection data becomes available.

Budget: Ground Zero was made on a reported budget of ₹ 20 Cr.

Day 1 Performance (April 25, 2025)

Ground Zero opened to a disappointing ₹ 1.24 Cr on its first day, aligning with trade predictions of ₹ 0.70–2 Cr. Despite positive reviews praising Emraan Hashmi’s restrained performance and the film’s grounded narrative, the film struggled to attract audiences. According to Sacnilk, it recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 8.63%, with morning shows at a mere 4.71% and night shows peaking at 14.06%. The lack of pre-release buzz, limited advance bookings (only 4,000 tickets sold in top national chains) and competition from the re-release of Andaz Apna Apna and ongoing shows of Jaat and Kesari 2 contributed to the weak start.

Day 2 Performance (April 26, 2025)

The film saw a noticeable jump on its second day, collecting ₹ 2.10 Cr. This growth suggests that positive word-of-mouth may be kicking in, especially among audiences who appreciate the film’s patriotic theme and realistic storytelling. However, occupancy rates remained low, with morning shows on Day 2 at 5.60%, indicating that the film is yet to connect with mass audiences. Critics have lauded the film’s emotional depth and Emraan’s performance, but its niche subject matter and lack of commercial elements like songs or star-driven glamour may limit its appeal. The weekend will be crucial for Ground Zero to sustain this upward trend.

Future Expectations

The first weekend is make-or-break for Ground Zero. With a budget of ₹ 20 Cr, the film needs to cross at least ₹ 30–40 Cr in its lifetime run to be considered a safe venture, factoring in theatrical and non-theatrical revenues (OTT, satellite, etc.). Day 3 (Sunday) is expected to show further growth, potentially in the range of ₹ 2.5–3 Cr, if audience feedback remains strong. However, upcoming releases like Raid 2 on May 1, 2025, could pose a threat to its theatrical run. The recent Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, has also cast a shadow, with some believing it may deter audiences from a film centered on terrorism, while others think its topical relevance could draw viewers.

Note: This table will be updated daily as new box office figures are reported. Stay tuned for the latest numbers!

Emraan Hashmi’s Box Office Track Record: A Comparison

Emraan Hashmi, often called Bollywood’s “serial kisser” in his early days, has had a career spanning over two decades, marked by both commercial hits and critical acclaim. To understand Ground Zero’s performance, let’s compare it with some of his notable films, focusing on their opening day collections and lifetime India net earnings (post-COVID era and earlier hits for context). Below is a snapshot based on data from sources like Koimoi, Sacnilk, and Box Office India:

Key Observations:

1. Weakest Openings: Ground Zero’s ₹ 1.24 Cr opening is Emraan’s second-lowest in the post-COVID era, only better than Chehre (₹ 0.50 Cr). Chehre, released during pandemic restrictions, faced similar issues with low buzz and limited audience turnout. Ground Zero’s performance is also weaker than Selfiee (₹ 2.55 Cr), which, despite flopping, benefited from Akshay Kumar’s star power.
2. Blockbuster Days: Emraan’s biggest opening came with Tiger 3 (₹ 44.5 Cr), where he played the antagonist alongside Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. The film’s massive hype and Diwali release ensured a strong start, unlike Ground Zero’s low-key promotions. His pre-COVID hits like The Dirty Picture and Jannat 2, Raaz 3 also opened strongly due to their mass appeal and chartbuster music, elements missing in Ground Zero.
3. Flops and Cult Hits: Awarapan (2007), despite being a box office flop, gained a cult following over time, leading to the announcement of Awarapan 2. Ground Zero could follow a similar path if it resonates on OTT platforms, given its critical praise but theatrical struggles.
4. Post-COVID Struggles: Emraan’s recent theatrical releases, except Tiger 3, have underperformed. Selfiee and Chehre failed to recover their budgets and Ground Zero risks joining this list unless weekend collections surge.

Emraan’s strength lies in delivering intense, unconventional roles but his films often rely on strong content or co-star appeal to drive footfalls. Ground Zero’s realistic tone and lack of commercial masala may limit its theatrical run, but its patriotic theme could find an audience on streaming platforms, much like Awarapan did years ago.

Why Is Ground Zero Struggling at the Box Office?

Despite its compelling narrative and positive reviews, Ground Zero faces several challenges:

1. Low Pre-Release Buzz: The film’s promotions were understated with minimal hype compared to mass entertainers like Jaat or Kesari 2. Advance bookings were weak, with only 4,000 tickets sold in major chains, as reported by Pinkvilla.
2. Competition: The re-release of Andaz Apna Apna (₹ 0.25 Cr on Day 1) and ongoing shows of Jaat (₹ 76 Cr by Day 13) and Kesari 2 (₹ 40 Cr by Day 6) split the audience. These films, with bigger stars like Sunny Deol and Akshay Kumar, have stronger mass appeal.
3. Niche Appeal: Ground Zero’s realistic, no-frills storytelling caters to a specific audience, unlike commercial potboilers that draw crowds with action, songs or romance. Its Kashmir setting and terrorism theme, while relevant, may feel heavy for casual moviegoers.
4. Pahalgam Attack Impact: The recent terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians, may have affected audience sentiment. Some sources suggest it deterred viewers from a film dealing with similar themes, though others believe it could boost its relevance.
5. Budget Concerns: With a ₹ 20 Cr budget, Ground Zero needs to sustain momentum to break even.

Can Ground Zero Recover?

There’s still hope for Ground Zero. The jump from ₹ 1.24 Cr on Day 1 to ₹ 2.10 Cr on Day 2 is encouraging, indicating that positive word-of-mouth is spreading. Here are some factors that could help:

• Critical Acclaim: Reviews from Hindustan Times, Times of India, and SCREEN have praised Emraan’s performance and the film’s restraint in avoiding jingoism. Social media reactions on X call it “raw,” “realistic,” and a “must-watch for every Indian.”
• Weekend Potential: Sunday (Day 3) could see collections in the ₹ 2.5–3 Cr range if family audiences turn up. A strong weekend total of ₹ 7–8 Cr would set the stage for a decent first week.
• OTT Prospects: Even if theatrical collections falter, Ground Zero’s patriotic theme and strong performances make it a prime candidate for success on streaming platforms, where Emraan’s films like Awarapan and Jannat have found second lives.
• Emraan’s Upcoming Projects: The announcement of Awarapan 2 and his role in They Call Me OG with Pawan Kalyan could keep his fanbase engaged, indirectly boosting interest in Ground Zero.

Ground Zero is a bold, patriotic film that showcases Emraan Hashmi in a new avatar as a BSF officer, but its box office journey has been rocky so far. With ₹ 3.34 Cr collected in two days against a ₹ 20 Cr budget, the film needs a strong weekend and sustained word-of-mouth to turn things around. Compared to Emraan’s past films, Ground Zero’s opening is among his weakest, but its critical acclaim and relevance to current events could help it find an audience over time.

This blog will be updated daily with the latest box office figures, so bookmark this page for real-time insights. What are your thoughts on Ground Zero’s performance? Do you think Emraan Hashmi can bounce back with this film or his upcoming projects? Share your views in the comments below.